August 07, 2012

I spent my whole childhood as a military child so movingaround was a pretty common occurrence. In fact, I moved 12 times by my 18th birthday which includedattending 4 different high schools. While my situation is certainly not unique, it was not without itschallenges. Because of the frequentmoves and school changes, I had to take frequent assessments to determine whereI “belonged” in my new classes. The“advanced” reading group in one school may have been the equivalent of the“average” group in the next school I attended. In high school the challenges were even greater. Although I excelled in academics I foundmyself “out of sync” with my classes. InEnglish, I found myself re-reading books in the 10th and 11thgrade that I had read in 9th grade. Additionally, there were books my senior year that according to myteacher I SHOULD have read, butdidn’t because they weren’t part of the curriculum at my past schools. Math proved to be even more difficult as Inever took a class in geometry, but was expected to know it my sophomore year.This required extra effort on my part to “catch up” with the rest of the classor risk falling further behind. My senior year I found myself in a freshmangeography class that was required for graduation.

I am confident there are othermilitary children who experience the same issues I faced. That is why the implementation of Common CoreState Standards is beneficial to families that must relocate frequently. No longer will kids risk falling behindbecause of a parent’s reassignment. Thecurriculum, while challenging, is also uniform from state to state; ensuringthat military children are afforded the same opportunities as their peers andthat regardless of where they graduate high school they are prepared for eithercollege or the workforce. With thesupport of the Military Child Education Coalition, this issue and itsimportance to military-connected students can get the necessary attention ofstate governments and school systems. Moreimportantly, the effort will help ensure that all children leave high schoolready for the next phase in their life whether that is college, the workplaceor both.

Although I succeeded in school without Common Core Standardsin place, I had a fair amount of challenges. Fellow students not well-equipped to handle the frequent changesstruggled more. For the sake of allchildren, it is imperative that the knowledge and skills taught fromKindergarten through high school be both consistent from state to state as wellas challenging.

The Military Child Education Coalition and From the Top with host Christopher O'Riley, the hit NPR radio program showcasing America's best young classical musicians, is seeking young musicians with military parents who are Active Duty, National Guard, Reserves or post 9-11 Veterans for its live show recording on June 27, 2012 at The Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas. The weekly hour-long radio program is heard on more than 200 stations nationwide. The show will be presented by the Military Child Education Coalition at its National Conference. From the Top's 2011-12 National Tour is sponsored by U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management.

From the Top welcomes audition entries from young classical musicians with military parents, ages 8 to 18 who have not graduated from high school. Solo performers on all instruments, composers and vocalists, as well as instrumental or vocal ensembles are welcome. In addition to seeking talent for its upcoming live concert in Grapevine, Texas, the program seeks young musicians for other concerts that are part of its national tour on a rolling admissions basis.

From the Top's variety show format features serious musical performances and lively interviews with some of the country's best pre-collegiate performers. This unique blend of music, talk and humor draws nearly 700,000 loyal listeners each week. After every live concert recording, performers are invited to share their music, experiences, and related passions with their peers in schools and/or a variety of community settings through From the Top's Arts Leadership program.

Of the more than 100 musicians chosen to appear on the radio program every year, approximately 20 will receive Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Awards in support of furthering their musical education. These up to $10,000 scholarships are given to deserving young classical musicians between the ages of 8-18 who have high levels of artistic achievement, demonstrated financial need, and a solid academic record.

Application and scholarship information is available online at www.fromthetop.org or www.militarychild.org. Applications and recorded auditions are accepted continuously and on a rolling admissions basis.

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ABOUT THE MILITARY CHILD EDUCATION COALITION

Founded in 1998, the Military Child Education Coalition® (MCEC®) is a 501(c)(3) global, nonprofit leadership and advocacy organization focused on ensuring quality educational opportunities for America's two million military-connected children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition. For more information, visit www.MilitaryChild.org.

ABOUT FROM THE TOP

For the past decade, From the Top has been the preeminent showcase for America's best young musicians. Through award-winning NPR and PBS programs, online media, a national tour of live events, and education programs, From the Top shares the stories and performances of pre-collegiate musicians with millions each week. Each program provides a compelling and entertaining window into the world of a diverse group of young people, who pursue life with passion, determination, and joy. From the Top's 2011-12 National Tour is sponsored by U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management.

From the Top's training and mentorship programs prepare young musicians to connect with new audiences, serve as positive peer role models, and give back to their communities in many ways.

December 08, 2011

This past Sunday, as I was getting ready to leave home for a few hours, I started to speak to my 12-year-old daughter.

“I know,” she said, before I could utter a single word. “You want me to do my homework, practice piano, unload the dishwasher, read and practice piano more.”

“Yes, that’s about right,” I replied in a tone of voice part triumphant and part self-doubt. I want my daughter to internalize high expectations for how she uses her time but, at the same time, I don’t want her to experience life as a nonstop grind. Especially on Sunday.

I returned to the scene a few hours later to see what had happened.

“So, if ‘1’ is 'I didn’t text with my friends at all' and ‘10’ is 'I spent the whole time texting with my friends,' how did the past few hours go?” I asked cautiously.

“One,” she said, “I didn’t text at all. Almost all my homework is done. I practiced piano. I just have to study for my spelling test.”

She was clearly feeling good about her progress. And she was primed to spend the rest of the day free of the stress that comes with overhanging obligations. She made a list of gifts she wanted to get others for Christmas, read a newspaper article, lollygagged, and went shopping with her mother. She enjoyed some all-important downtime.

I feel good about how my daughter holds herself to high expectations, but there’s another piece to the puzzle that I don’t feel as comfortable about. Thus far, my daughter experiences learning mostly in the context of “meeting others expectations.” She wants to do well on tests and get A’s in school. She works hard. And the hard work pays off.

That’s all good, of course, but my wife and I also want her to experience learning because she actually wants to learn. We want her to ask questions that go beyond what the teacher requires. To ask for a book about a person, place or idea that has captured her attention. This self-powered learning is what will carry her to discovery, citizenship and meaningful work as an adult.

Irish poet William Butler Yeats said that “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” To get a fire going though, you need kindling. When it comes to learning, the kindling phase is when we learn essential knowledge and skills. For most of us, extrinsic motivation fuels this phase of learning.

Then and only then, do the big logs catch. Fueled by passion and commitment, we suddenly are able to apply knowledge and skills to causes that speak to us. Intrinsic motivation powers us to go beyond “getting an A” to appreciate, create, and serve the world around us.

This is the essential yin and yang of education. On the one hand, parents and educators need to hold high expectations for young people. We need to make sure that young people have the knowledge and skills that will enable them to both thrive and contribute to their community.

At the same time, we need to nurture their passions and cultivate their autonomy. We have failed if they graduate from high school or college simply waiting for someone else to give them a new challenge or show them how to do things.

My wife and I are working on finding the right balance with our daughter. For my part, I’m trying to find ways to help her discover her passion. Which movies will raise questions about how the world works? Perhaps the experience of (literally) serving soup in a soup kitchen will inspire her to see the world in new ways. I’m looking for opportunities where she can experience math in ways other than “preparing for a test.” And I’m trying to expose her to music – the kind that transformed me when I was her age.

Equally important, we know she needs plenty of unscheduled time to allow her imagination to percolate and for personal commitments to bubble up. To that end, I know that one of the most important things we can do is not to overschedule her. Only then, the big logs can ignite on their own.

August 30, 2011

The MCEC SchoolQuest introduces Naviance – helping you plan for college and beyond!

What is Naviance? Good question! Naviance is a college and career planning resource that SchoolQuest is offering to students as young as 8th grade. It is a valuable tool for students planning their educational path. While using Naviance a student can complete inventories that will help define their strengths and interests. They can then find courses of study that utilize those strengths and see what careers match up with those findings. Scholarship information is available as is college application information. Scholarship and college application can be stored for future reference. Also available for students 9th - 12th grade, Method Test Prep! ACT and SAT tests are challenging and SchoolQuest wants you to be prepared. Practice for one or both of these tests on Naviance!

How much does it cost? Here's the best part, Naviance is being offered free of charge by SchoolQuest and the Military Child Education Coalition!

Why are we offering it? Because, as always, the focus at SchoolQuest and the Military Child Education Coalition is to ensure quality educational opportunities for all military children affected by mobility, family separation and transition. Everything we do is "for the sake of the child".

How do I sign up? First, come visit us as www.SchoolQuest.org. After creating a SchoolQuest profile the Naviance eligible student(s) will be highlighted. Next, simply follow the on-screen instructions to send an activation email to the eligible student(s). Once the student clicks on this activation link they will be led to the specially designed Naviance program being offered by SchoolQuest.

August 25, 2011

“I am here to do whatever I can to help the military families transition to Columbus or transition out of Columbus,” she said. “If children are having any problems in school, I’m going to be working very closely with the counselors. When you say transition, it’s not just people who are new. We are transitioning through life … from elementary to middle, from middle to high, from high school to graduation. Life is transition.

August 22, 2011

Here at Ars, we often discuss the problems with science education, many of which involve higher education. However, the earliest science education begins long before students reach college, or even high school. A review in the most recent issue of Science tackles some of the issues involved in teaching our littlest scientists about how the world works.

August 17, 2011

North Dakota is now part of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, an agreement with 36 other states to streamline the transition between various schools, for military families, as they deploy and move from state to state.

August 05, 2011

“Through art, military-connected children open a little window to tell us how they feel and offer us a glimpse into their world,” said Patricia Shinseki at last week’s opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Military Child Education Coalition’s (MCEC) Student Art Exhibit at ED headquarters. Shinseki, an MCEC board member, gave the keynote address at the opening, which included the Presentation of the Colors by the Joint Armed Forces Color Guard, a musical performance by Nate Hutchings and a poetry reading by Jaron McKinnon, students from the teen center in Ft. Meade, Md.